Game apparatus



J. C. GATES GAME APPARATUS Aug. 7, IQZB.

Filed July 21. 1920 avwewlioi (Kg aw Jail? Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

JOHN C. GATES, OF INDIANAPDLIS, INDIANA.

GAT/IE APPARATUS.

Application filed July 21, 1920. Serial No. 397,893.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jorm (l. GATES, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game apparatus oi the general rs-haracter adapted for playing in miniature a slightly modified field game, as base ball. The invention has for its objects the provision of inexpensive, simply constructed means for providing a high degree of amusement but requiring consider able skill in its successful manipulation; a further object being to provide a' device of this character which comprises only hand operable parts whereby reliance of players may not be placed in automatic and complicated mechanical movements and operations, all elements of chance being eliminated.

In carrying out my invention I employ a miniature representation of a base ball field, a hand operable ball pitching or catapulting device, a hand operable batting device, adjustable members for receiving the ball, a collapsible ball and a pliiirality of counters for indicating points, all as hereinafter fully described and specifically set forth in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure. 1 is a plan viewo'f my improved game apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side view of the ball pitching device forming part of the invention. Fig. 8 is a plan view of said device. Fig. i is a cross section view taken on the line an of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side view of the ball batting device employed. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the ball employed. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the ball collapsed; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the counters employed in playing the game.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a sheet of card board or other adaptable material having a miniature base ball diamond reproduced thereon, said diamond comprising a home plate 2, a pitchers box 3, a first base et, a second base 5 and a third base 6, the paths for the runners being indicated by the lines 7, 8, 9 and 10, the lines 7 and 10 being extended to the far edges of the field, making the customary foul lines.

Back of and running parallel with the lines 8 and 9 are lines 10 and 11, making a right angle space 13 which is bounded by said lines 11 and 12 and the lines 8 and 9, and a right angle space 14 bounded by the lines 11 and 12 and the tar edges of the board 1.

Extended horizontally across the space it is a line 15, making a triangular space 16,

within which is indicated a flag and pole 17.

-The pitcher or means for throwing the ball comprises a rectilinear block of wood or other adaptable material 18, having pivotally fulcrumed thereover a swinging lever 19, embodying a longitudinally extende'dupright member 20 and a flat plate 21 having a cup 22 on its upwardly swinging end part. The member 20 is tapered at its downwardly swinging end part, whereby pressure exerted thereupon moves it downwardly and forces the other end upwardly. The pivot means for fulcruming the lever 19 embodies a staple 23, which is driven into the base 18 and extended laterally through the member 20, at a point adjacent to its tapered part, said tapered part being considerably shorter than the part carrying the cup 22, whereby a relatively short downward movement of said tapered part imparts a comparatively long movement to the long, cup carrying end, said end acting as a lever to catapult or pitch a ball "forwardly and over the pivotal point.

The ball employed in playing the game is a hollow sphere 24, of flexible material partly filled with sand or analogous relatively heavy material 25, as shown by Figures 6 and '7 of the drawings, whereby when the ball is impinged on a Hat surface it flattens and remains where it lands without rolling movement common to solidly or fully filled balls.

The batter or means for impelling the pitched ball comprises a square base block 26, having a fixed socket 27 which engages a spherical end part 28 of a bat, whereby said bat may be given universal swinging movement. The bat may be of the tapered form common to base ball bats or it may be flat like a cricket hat.

I also employ in playing the game representations of players in the field, comprising adjustable discs as follows: a first baseman 30, second baseman 31, third baseman 32, short stop 33, andright, left and center fieldman 34:, 35 and 36; also a plurality of small discs 37, to represent the runners. The said discs representing the men in the field are each excentrically pivoted to the board by pivots 38, whereby the persons playing may adjust them to desirable positions.

The game is played by two, persons, each representing a team 01' nine, and it is played under rules approximating the rules of a regular base ball game, preferably with a third person acting as umpire.

lit the start of the game the person representing the team in the field manipulates the pitching device, and the person repre senting the team at bat manipulates the batting device. a c

The person representing the filed players holds the block 18 within the pitchers box 3 and places the ball in the cup 22, then by smartly tapping the short end of the lever 19 the ball is impelled in the direction of the home plate from which the other player must bat the ball. As in a regular game of ball, each ball pitched counts as either a strike or a ball, three strikes counting the batter out, and tour balls. allowing him a base. It the pitcher sends the ballover'the plate and-sufficiently low for the batter to reach it the batter must strike at it, but if the pitcher elevates the ball over the plate at a height greater than the length of the bat it counts'as a ball, the batter not being allowed to lift his bat and its base 26 away from contact with the home plate; it he does lift it the act counts him out. All balls falling outside of the foul line are called strikes. It the batter scores tour balls on the pitcher he places one of the discs or counters 3'? on first base. If the batter hits a ball and it falls on any one of the discs representing the field players he is out, and he then plays again until he is out three times, when he changes places with the pitcher and then plays for the team in the field, nine innings being played, as in ordinary base ball. IVhen the batter hits a ball and it falls ithin the diamond without touching any of the discs representing the field players it counts as a one base hit; it

it falls within the space 13 it is a two base hit; it it falls within the space 1.4 it is a three base hit; and it it falls within the space 17 it counts as a home run, the batter of course moving the counters 37 around the bases as the plays are made, advancing men when others take their places, as in any base ball game.

From the foregoing description it is evident that I have produced a game apparatus requiring the exercise of considerable skill in its successful manipulation, a device which is very simple in construction, incze pensive and durable and which may be employed for training both the eyes and hands 01": the players to their considerable benefit as well as amusement. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a game apparatus, a iield having stations indicated thereon, and ball receiving discs excentrically pivoted on said field whereby they may be swung around to vary their positions relative to said stations, and two oppositely located stations; combined with a hand operable ball. projector, and a hand operable ball batting means, said projector and batting means adapted to be removably held on said oppositely located stations, and a collapsible ball, and a plurality of disc counters.

2. In a game apparatus. a field having a plurality of stations and field-sections indicated thereon and adjustable ball receiving plates fixed on said field whereby they may be moved into varied positions relative to said stations, and two oppositely located stations; in combination with a hand operable ball projector adapted to catapult said ball forwardly thereof comprising a base and a swinging two-armed lever. one arm being longer than the other and having ball receiving cup at its free end part, and a hand operable ball batting means comprising a base bloizk and a universally swiveled bat, said projector and batl'zing means adapted to be manually held on said oppositely located stations, and a collapsible ball, and a plurality of counters.

Signed at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, this 19 day of June, A, D. 1920.

JOHN C. GATES 

